Special Olympics Draws Hundreds in the East Bay Tuesday

LAFAYETTE, CA- More than 500 Bay Area students gathered in Lafayette to participate in the 2016 Special Olympics Tuesday, show off their soccer, basketball and track and field skills.

Special education student-athletes ranging from kindergarten to transition (postsecondary age) all trained for 24-weeks as part of the Special Olympics Schools Partnership Program in northern California.

The day’s events began at 10 a.m. with opening ceremonies, followed by three action-packed hours of track and field competition. Every student-athlete was recognized for their achievements by having a Special Olympics Bay Area Games medal draped around their necks by Bay Area law enforcement.

Pinole Police officials shared photos of the event in a social media post, held at Acalanes High School, inviting the community to stop by cheer on the kids, and many did just that.

"It is a privilege to be part of a great partnership with Special Olympics Northern California and out in the community," they said. [NORCIRC]

Participating schools included:

• Alameda County – Castro Valley High School, Roy Johnson High School
• Contra Costa County – Acalanes High School
• Bridge Transition Program
• Del Valle Transition
• Diablo Vista Middle School
• Dougherty Valley High School
• Dublin High School
• Freedom High School
• Heritage High School
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School
• Liberty High School
• Miramonte High School
• Monte Vista High School
• San Ramon Valley High
• Springhill Elementary
• San Ramon Valley Transition
• Stanley Middle School
• San Francisco Unified – A.P. Giannini Middle School
• Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary, Serramonte Adult Transition
• Serramonte Del Rey, Sunset Elementary School
• Thurgood Marshall High School
• San Mateo County – George Washington Elementary School
• Hillsdale High School, Mills High School, Sequoia High School
• Tri-Valley – Dublin High School
• Granada High School
• Livermore High School; Murray Elementary School
• Village High School; Wells Middle School

Photos courtesy of Pinole Police Department and Conta Costa School Games Facebook